Western Front

You Never Came Home - Western Front WW1

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• published: 19 May 2015
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Around 300,000 Australians served on the Western Front during WW1. From 1916 to 1918, 46,000 died and more than 132,000 were wounded. Many soldiers were wounded more than once. About 11,000 soldiers have no known grave. Australian stretcher bearers and dressers exhausted after 60 hours without rest. Australian nurses caught trench diseases such as typhus and dysentery. Many soldiers who came home died not long after due to suffering horrendous wounds and being gravely ill. Many were totally and permanently incapacitated with lost limbs, blindness and severely disfigured. A memorial for Australians who died on the Western Front in WW1. 100th anniversary of the battles on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918. Locations and dates where Australians fought on the Western Front... Fromelles July 1916, Pozières July - Aug 1916, Mouquet Farm Aug - Sept 1916. Bullecourt April - May 1917, Lagnicourt April 1917, Polygon Wood Sept 1917, Menin Road Sept 1917, Passchendaele Oct - Nov 1917, Broodseinde Oct - Nov 1917, Hébuterne March - April 1918, Dernancourt March - April 1918, Morlancourt March - June 1918, Villers-Bretonneux April 1918, Hazebrouck April 1918, Merris May - June 1918, Le Hamel July 1918, Hangard Wood April 1918, Etinehem August 1918, Bray Aug 1918, Proyart Aug 1918, Chuignes August 1918, Lihons Aug 1918, Mont St Quentin Sept 1918, Péronne Sept 1918, Bellenglise Sept 1918, Bellicourt Sept 1918, Montbrehain Oct 1918 The casualty rate was almost 65 per cent for Australians on the Western Front... the highest in the British Empire. The Battle Of Fromelles 19 July 1916, was the worst day in Australian history with 5,533 casualties (with 2,000 dead) in one night. http://www.worst-day-australian-history.anzac-day.net/ This video is a memorial to Australians who died on the Western Front and any comment that is disrespectful to their memory will NOT BE PUBLISHED. From 1916 to 1918, Australia lost nearly half of all the people killed in all wars. It was a shocking time for Australia with a population just under 5 million. There were not many families in Australia that weren't touched by the tragedy of the Western Front. The words 'You never came home' in a sense, tries to give some perspective from the loved ones of the soldiers ... many lived in hope for a while that their loved one was still alive, especially those who were reported missing on the battlefield... absolutely heartbreaking and unimaginable shocking times for many Australian families during this war. Australia in effect lost a generation of young men, not only in being killed but also the many horrendously wounded returning home with shocking injuries like blindness, lost limbs and severely disfigured Many soldiers also suffered from shell shock and were damaged mentally. 100 years ago it was difficult for soldiers and their families to gain recognition of war related mental disabilities and many returned soldiers were hidden away from the public. Back in those days it wasn't acknowledged that war can produce long-term and severe psychological effects. Many soldiers who came back from the Western Front suffering from the severe psychological effects of the war were seen as malingerers or 'not 'tough enough'. One can only imagine the unbearable pain of the mentally unwell soldiers and their family members at that time. The sheer loss of lives and the seemingly wanton desire of military commanders on both sides to throw lives away in staggering numbers is a reminder to us all that war should be avoided and not nurtured. Putting this video together was an emotional experience... the soldiers included with the words 'You never came home' died, some killed in action and some dying from their wounds. Every life was precious and it was very sad to read how their lives ended. Some are stretcher bearers who died trying to save others... others survived nearly to the end of the war but died in the last months of the war. Some had just arrived on the Western Front and were killed shortly after. One stretcher bearer died after he responded to calls for help... it was an enemy trap. Just so sad. And some were so young, just 18 and some just a bit older... just difficult to imagine in today's world. Words for 'You never came home' written by Peter Barnes. Photographs on this video are from the Australian War Memorial. The music is Chopin's Funeral March. Please Note: All content on this YouTube video remains the property of the respective copyright holders. The author of this video also creates paintings relating to Australians in war. Website at http://www.australian-artist.peterbarnes.net.au/ Australian War Heroes Song website at http://www.australianwarheroes.com/ 'You never came home' words copyright Peter Barnes 2015, 2016. Lest We Forget.